Thicker Than Water
by DeathByStereo17
Summary: In the midst of an award ceremony for his parents, Danny is shot and killed by Vlad. Now that he is dead, where will he go? Pleaz do not judge the story by the summary cauz it suckz.


_It's not fair,_ he thought. But then again, what is fair anymore. It's not like he had done anything horribly bad in his 16 years, save for skipping a few classes and staying out all night, so why was he being punished. All he did that day was get up and follow his parents to a town meeting. All he did was stand there and clap since Sam or Tucker hadn't been able to join him. His parents were being named 'town's greatest ghost hunters', and a huge crowd of people had shown up, although he wasn't sure why since all his parents seemed capable of was destroying things. Still, he felt proud of them. Danny had been standing beside them on stage when the shot rang out. He never felt a thing, only a slight tug followed by a 'thud' from behind him. Everything seemed to go in slow motion after that. He stood there for a moment, looking out at the crowd's shocked faces, and then he slowly turned his head around. It didn't come as much of a shock when he faced around to see himself lying on the floor in an ever growing pool of blood. A blood curdling scream brought him out of his trance. He turned is head slightly to see his mother run and kneel beside his body. His father wasn't a second behind her. Nobody seemed to notice him.

_Maybe its better this way,_ he thought, strangely calm. He floated up about twenty feet above the crowd. "I'm sorry it had to be like this" he whispered as he watched his family from above. They were frantically trying to shake him awake. His parents were at his side, attempting stop the bleeding but failing miserably. His sister, who was standing a foot away, had tears streaming down her face as she looked into the crowd.

"Who did this" she screamed. But he had a feeling she already knew. His gaze followed Jazz's into the crowd. His eyes fell upon a tall, dark looking man with a large trench coat and black boots. The man pulled his collar over his face as if to hide a bad nose job. The man quickly turned to leave.

"You!"

The screech stopped the man dead in his tracks.

"Why did you do this?" Maddie screeched again, taking a step towards the man.

The man stood still for a moment, and then slowly turned. He wore a wicked evil grin on his face. He lifted his head for everyone to see.

"Why?" Maddie said again, this time with tears pouring down her face.

"Because, my dear Madeline, it had to be done."

Maddie was speechless. She glanced behind her at her husband cradling their son's lifeless body.

"No," she whispered as she sank to her knees. "Danny-"

"Yes," the man said with another evil grin.

Jack gently set his son's lifeless body down on the ground and stood up. "But Vlad, we were friends," he said, his voice shaking.

"Open your eyes you miserable oaf. I've always hated you and I always will," Vlad's voice was so harsh that some people standing around them winced.

"Why him?" Jack whispered. "Why Danny?"

Vlad sighed impatiently. "You haven't figured it out yet? He was my greatest threat. And now with him out of my way, I can finally take what's mine."

Danny's eyes widened a little as Vlad began to move towards his mother.

"Madeline, I love you. I've always loved you. And your going to come with me now," Vlad said as he strode up in front of Maddie, his face only inches from hers. There was a loud 'smack' and Vlad took a step back, his hand on his cheek.

"Never," Maddie said, her voice dripping with venom. "Never will I go with you."

"I don't think you have a choice," Vlad said as he took another step towards Maddie. Jack stepped in front of Maddie, as if to protect her.

"Don't you dare take a step closer," Jack said through clenched teeth.

Vlad chuckled, and before anyone could do anything, Vlad had crouched down and kicked Jack's legs out from under him.

"Dad!" Jazz cried as she knelt beside him.

"Jack, are you alright?" Maddie asked, still watching Vlad. His smile had grown even more, and this time he looked insane. Once again, he took a step closer, but then stopped dead in his tracks at the sound of one word.

"Stop"

Vlad's eyes narrowed as he slowly looked around.

"Don't you dare"

It was the first time Vlad looked up. As Danny met his stare, Vlad's face twisted in anger. Danny showed no sign of emotion.

"Even in death you won't let me be, will you?" Vlad snarled.

"How can I when you're threatening my family," Danny replied in a voice that sent shivers down Jazz's spine. She heard some people gasp around her and she glanced at her parents. Their eyes were wide and Jack's mouth was slightly open. Jazz then turned her attention back to her brother and Vlad. Vlad was shooting Daggers at Danny, but Danny remained frighteningly calm. He continued to hover above them, arms crossed.

"Leave them alone," he said in a voice that was soaked with hatred.

"Or what?" Vlad taunted. "You'll kill me?"

Danny shook his head. "No, I'm not like you. I will never be like you."

"Or so you think," Vlad said as he changed into his ghost form. Several more gasps and screams sounded from the crowd. Jack, Jazz and Maddie remained quiet, silently watching the battle unfold.

Vlad flew up and didn't stop till he was eye level with Danny.

"Well Daniel, what are you going to do to me?"

Danny glanced past Vlad only for a moment, and then turned his gaze back. "Right now, I'm not going to do anything."

This earned a genuinely confused look from Vlad, but before he could ask, Danny said "I would duck if I were you."

Suddenly a blast came from below, hitting Vlad square in the back. The impact sent him flying a few feet, and then he whirled around to see who dared to hit him. His gaze fell upon Jazz. She wore a Fenton Wrist Ray and had it pointed towards Vlad. Vlad snarled as Jazz blasted a few more shots, this time missing their target. Without acknowledging Danny, Vlad sped towards Jazz, arms outstretched. Jazz held her ground and continued firing until he was ten feet away. She cried out as she tripped backwards over a fallen mike stand. Vlad smiled triumphantly as he came closer to her, but was stopped once again by another shot, this one ten times more powerful. He fell to the ground with a grunt and changed back to Masters. He looked up, dazed to find Jack standing there with the Ecto-Stoppo-Power-Erfier. Vlad stood, glaring at Jack. Jack matched his look.

"Don't you ever come near my family again, do you hear me?" Jack shouted.

Vlad merely smiled. "Jack, do you really think you can stop me? I'm the most powerful ghost in the world" He said with a laugh, but the laugh quickly died as he tried to activate his powers. "What?" He cried.

"The Ecto-Stoppo-Power-Erfier" Danny said, now standing beside Jack. "It gradually removes a ghost's powers. Permanently. That means any ghost, even you," Danny stated in a dead toned voice.

"No, that miserable idiot could never invent such a thin-" but before Vlad could get the last word out, Danny was holding him up by his collar.

"Don't you dare talk about my father that way," Danny spat, rage getting the best of him. "You come here, you take my life, and you threaten my families'. Never. Never again will you threaten these people," he said as he floated a little off the ground. "You're not the most powerful ghost anymore. You never have been," he finished with a little smirk.

"And you are?" Vlad shot back.

Danny simply smiled and shook his head. "No, I'm not, but I'll take you to meet him." Suddenly, Danny felt a tap on his back. He turned his head slightly, keeping Vlad in his view, to see Dash Baxter standing there, holding a rope.

"Thought you might need this" He said, a little nervous.

Danny smiled a little as he took the rope. "Thanks Dash."

"No problem. It's the least I could do after, well, everything I've done to you," Dash said with honest eyes. He stepped back as Danny tied the rope around Vlad, binding his hands and legs. Danny then turned and faced his family. They all he tears in their eyes, but had proud looks on their faces. Danny gave them a small smile and said "I have to go". He threw a thumb over his shoulder and pointed to Vlad "I have some unfinished business". Jazz stepped forward and gave her brother a hug.

"Please come back," she whispered in his ear.

He pulled away from her with a smile. "I will," he said.

He turned towards Vlad once again and picked him up by the ropes. After giving his family one more longing look, he took to the sky, flying towards his house. Once inside the Ghost zone, Vlad had to ask.

"Where are you taking me?"

Danny didn't look down. At first, Vlad wasn't sure if Danny would enlighten him, then in a hard voice, Danny said one word.

"Clockwork."

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The crowd eventually withered out as people headed home. Jack had Danny's body moved to a morgue, then he took what was left of his family home. Once there, they all sat down and Jazz explained everything.

"And that's how it happened" Jazz finished as she wiped a tear from her cheek.

"So he risked his life every day for us, the people who hunted him," said Maddie through fresh tears.

"Even though you guys hunted him, he knows you still love him," Jazz reached over and took her mother's hand.

Suddenly the front door burst open, and Sam and Tucker rushed through. They looked as though they, too, had been crying.

"Is…is he really?" whispered Sam.

Jazz got up and took Sam's hand. She led her to the couch and they sat down. She took a deep breath. "Yes-"

She was going to say more, but before she could continue, Sam had brought her hand up to her mouth. She looked away as tears began pouring down her face.

"But he's not gone. He said he'd be back. He had to take care of Vlad first," Jazz tried desperately to comfort the broken girl.

"Yeah, we saw the whole thing on TV," Tucker said quietly. "I just can't believe it. It's not supposed to be like this. He was only a kid!" With that he broke down into more tears. Maddie got up and pulled him into a loving embrace. He was like a second son to her, and she hated to see him cry as much as his own mother did.

"So, do you guys know?" Sam asked. "About Danny, I mean."

"Yeah, Jazz told us everything," Jack said shakily.

"Where is he?" Maddie said in barley a whisper. "Oh, my poor baby boy. Why you? You didn't deserve this. It's not fair."

"Maybe, but what is fair anymore?"

They all gasped at his voice. He had just appeared, standing behind them.

"D…Danny" Maddie stood up.

"Yeah, hi," He said. He gave a small smile, but his eyes were full of sadness.

Maddie ran to him and threw her arms around him. "Oh Danny," Maddie sobbed into his shoulder.

Danny stood there a moment and let his mother cry, then he lifted his arms and put them around her.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she sobbed.

"Shh, its okay mom. I love you."

"I love you too. I've always loved you and I always will," She said as she pulled away.

"Were so proud of you son," Jack said as he put a hand on his now ghostly son's back.

"We all are" Jazz said with a small smile. Sam and Tucker nodded too.

"Thanks guys" Danny whispered, tears streaming down his face. He looked up at Sam and Tucker. He walked up to his best friend and gave him a hug.

"You are the best friend a guy could ever ask for Tuck. Thank you."

"You are too man," Tucker said between tears. They pulled apart reluctantly, but smiled at each other. Danny then turned to Sam. His other best friend and the one he loved. Strange how these things work out in the end. She stepped closer to him and they embraced.

"What happened?" she asked.

Danny pulled away slightly so that they were face to face. "Vlad happened. He shot me."

She closed her eyes, as if to try to block it out. "I know. But what happened to him?"

"I took him to see a friend," Danny said with a sad smile.

Sam's eyes went wide. "Clockwork?"

"Yeah. He's taking care of him."

"What is he going to do?"

"I'm not sure, but you know Clockwork. He has his ways," Danny chuckled.

"What about you?"

Danny sighed. "I can't stay."

"But Danny, where will you go?" asked Jazz.

"The Ghost zone. I'm not allowed to stay here anymore."

"But why not? You could stay here, with us," Maddie said, a little hope in her voice.

Danny shook his head. "No, I can't. Mom, I'm dead. I hate it as much as you do, but I can't stay here long. Clockwork said I could return to say my goodbyes, but then I must go."

The room was silent.

"So, what happens when you get to the ghost zone?" Jazz asked reluctantly.

"I guess I'll crossover or whatever. I don't know. I've just got this feeling. Like a little voice that's telling me to go," Danny took a quick glance at the basement door.

"But what if we don't want you to go?" Jack said, his booming voice making everyone jump.

"Sorry dad, it can't be helped. It's pulling me away," Danny said. He looked at the door that led to the basement again. He felt something growing inside him; tugging him towards the door. Clockwork had said he wouldn't have long. He could barley stop his feet from moving.

"What about Skulker or the Box Ghost. They stayed. Why cant you?" Jazz said, refusing to let him go without a fight.

"Jazz, when they died, they died of jealousy, rage and sorrow. All they wanted was revenge after their deaths. So they stayed and took out their revenge until there was no one left. But once they were finished, they realized they were stuck between life and death. Allowed to see the world but not be a part of it. I won't do that. I can't do that to you or me. We'd be able to see each other until the day you all die, but after that I'd never see you again. And I wouldn't be able to live with that," Danny finished, his voice breaking. The feeling was getting stronger now. He wouldn't be able to resist the urge much longer. "I love you all too much for that. I'm sorry, but I can't stay. I have to go know," He said as his feet moved him towards the basement door. When he reached the landing, he stopped in front of the portal, its green glow beckoning him in.

"Wait," Sam yelled, rushing after him. "Where will you go?"

Everyone else came down after her, all waiting to hear what he said.

Danny shrugged. "Wherever you go after you die, I guess. But I promise you," he looked Sam straight in the eye, and then he looked to the rest of his family, "all of you, that I will be waiting for you there when you arrive."

_Danny, its time_

Danny turned towards the portal. Clockwork was there, his hand beckoning Danny to come.

"Well, there's my ride," Danny said. He gave his parents and sister one last longing hug, then turned to his best friends.

"Thank you guys, for everything," Tucked held out his hand, which Danny grabbed and shook.

"I'll miss you man," Tuck said, his voice shaky.

"And I'll miss you Tuck. Just try not to drive to many ladies crazy," Danny said with a chuckle.

"Please, with these good looks, I doubt they'll be able to resist me."

At that Danny couldn't help but laugh. Tuckers jokes where one thing that could always make Danny smile, and he didn't want to lose that. But he knew he had to for the time being. He then turned to Sam.

Sam had both her hands over her mouth in an attempt to stop the tears that threatened. Danny gently took one of her hands in his and his hand over her open palm. When he removed it, she gasped. Where Danny's hand had been, there sat a lone crystal rose.

"Oh, Danny," she whispered.

"I don't want to say something really corny and ruin the moment, but I can't think of a thing that I could say to tell you how much you mean to me. So here's this," he said, gesturing to the flower. "Just a symbol to remind you that I'll always be with you. I love you Sammy."

She looked at him with tears in her eyes. He as the only one she would let call her that, and she loved it. They smiled at each other, and then Sam threw her arms around Danny and kissed him. When they pulled away, she whispered so only he could hear.

"It was my first kiss, and I wanted it to be with you."

Danny smiled and pulled her into a hug one last time. When they pulled apart, Sam said "I love you too. Wait for me."

"I will," he said, and with one last look at everyone, he flew through the portal. Clockwork stood before him. "Are you ready?" he asked.

Danny glanced back at the now closed portal. "Yeah, I am," and with those words spoken, he was gone.

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Later that night, the town held a memorial service for the now dead hero. Everyone in the town attended, even those who once hated him. Everyone from Casper high was there. Even the Guys in White were there. Some ghosts showed up too. Amorpho, Wulf and many others. They all held pictures and candles. A lot was said about Danny that night, but one thing more than anything else. He was a hero. He would always be.

_He's my hero_ Sam thought as she looked at the rose Danny had given her. It had been one of the hardest things she'd even done, saying goodbye to Danny. Once she arrived back home, she went straight to her room and locked herself in. She had cried for a good while before she noticed the note. It had been sitting upon her desk, folded neatly as it could. The first time she had read it, it had brought more tears. But not tears of sadness. Tears of knowledge that he was alright. That he was happy. He was finally, truly happy. She reread the note so many times that she had practically memorized it. Still, she reached in her pocket and fished out the note. She opened it and began to read.

_Just because I'm gone_

_Doesn't mean I'm not here_

_I'll be the dawn_

_To scare away your fears_

_When you feel the wind_

_You'll know I'm there_

_Because you're my friend_

_And I know it's not fair_

_I'll be the fire_

_To warm your soul_

_Because you inspired_

_Me towards my goal_

_So I'll be the rain_

_In such a calming state_

_I'll wash away your pain_

_And relieve you of my fate_

_And I'll be the sun_

_To keep you nice and warm_

_And to help you stay dry_

_Through all the storms_

_And when that light is gone_

_I'll be your shooting star_

_Reminding you I'm forgone_

_But I'll always be where you are_

She looked around at all the people, then she looked to the sky.

"Do you see this Danny? Can you see what they've done for you?" Sam whispered, so quietly she could barley herself. A breeze suddenly blew through the trees. Even though the night was cold, the breeze was particularly warm. It rustled through the trees, causing a few leaves to float down, but among all the leaves, a flower as carried by the wind. It landed gracefully next to Sam. She bent down and picked it up to find that it was a rose.

She smiled up to the sky. "I thought so," she whispered.


End file.
